Too tightly scripted and perhaps caught off guard, the Environment Minister stumbled in the Commons Monday when the Montreal Liberal asked him to “explain to the House what ozone is and what is the difference between its impact at low altitude and high altitude?”

Mr. Kent, like every other minister during Question Period, did not waver from his talking points. Instead, of trying to answer the question he simply threw back an insult at Mr. Trudeau, criticizing the “quality” of the questions from the Liberal opposition.

The minister added: “This government would gladly compare our record on the environment, in all its dimensions to...”

The Speaker called for order and Mr. Kent continued: “...to complete my question, again the opposition is using a questionable media source quotation of one of my staff that has been taken out of context.”

Mr. Kent was referring to a Postmedia story in which a document uncovered by an access to information request talked about cuts to ozone monitoring programs.

In a scrum after Question Period, Mr. Trudeau said his query had begun partly as a joke. He and his colleague, Kristy Duncan, had wondered what would happen if he stood up and asked the minister to define ozone and “just give him the opportunity to make me look like a fool for asking a question that he would obviously know the answer to,” he said.

Rather, Mr. Trudeau gave Mr. Kent the opportunity to play the fool. “I’m sure he’s right now going to Wikipedia,” Mr. Trudeau joked.

The answer, Mr. Trudeau added, is “fairly simple”: ozone is an oxygen molecule with three parts. It is dangerous at low levels of the atmosphere because it contributes to smog and at high levels it is good because it reflects ultraviolet radiation.

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May also weighed in. She told reporters she would be “stunned” if Mr. Kent didn’t know what ozone is. And she lamented that ministers are so scripted in Question Period. “If a question comes for which an answer has not been previously written, even when the answer no longer makes sense, they read their answers.”

the iranian article is bullshit. please noone on the site believe that even a few innocent persian civilians are stupid enough to chant "death to" their hope of freedom. oh and isn't it funny that some of the MP's (most if not all gain power undemocratically) chanted death to britain during the vote to reduce ties with the country? supposedly the same things the students were chanting? it's a frame by the government, to say that the protestors against them are not fighting for freedom but are only a roudy and vile group of peace-breakers. this is a ridiculous article but the west seems to have bought into it. i'm personally an Obama supporter but if hes not smart enough to see the ploy by the clericks that my support will soon shift towards Ron paul. I'd rather see the U.S not helping us than helping up those commiting genocide in the 21st centure.

Which brings us to the “Ford freeze” — the specific order by Mayor Rob Ford that all official notices and pronouncements from his office not be provided to this newspaper.

The ban has been in place ever since Ford won the mayoral race more than a year ago. It stems from Ford’s rage over a piece the Star ran during the campaign about his conduct as a football coach.

There is no purpose served in rehashing the details. However, the Star has always stood by the story, noting it was carefully checked by our lawyer before publication.

Candidate Ford was furious and filed an immediate notice of libel, which is entirely and appropriately his prerogative. But he never followed up, as required, and his suit has now lapsed.

Mayor Ford has repeatedly said his freeze will stay in place until the Star runs an apology above the fold on page 1. As he recently told reporter Daniel Dale, “I don’t talk to the Star till you guys apologize. You guys (are) liars.”

Thus we have the chief magistrate of the city, his legal remedy expired, using the tool of blackout to prevent the city’s largest newspaper from receiving notification of public events, briefings or announcements from his office.

In my view, this tactic is not only high-handed and inappropriate, but also raises a serious issue of abuse of power.